Rolling-mill plant



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

W. GARRETT.

ROLLING MILL PLANT.

No. 319,693. Patented June 9, 1885.

WITNESSES: g NVENTOR; bmflwm 5 BY iii WWW in;

ATTORN N. PUERSL Photolllhcgnphar. Washinglou, DJ.

UNITED STATES PATENT. QFFI WILLIAM GARRETT, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

' ROLLING-MILL PLANT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 319,693, dated June 9,1885.

Application filed January 7 18%. (Xo model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

, Be it known that I, WILLIAM GARRETT, a citizen of the United States,residing at Pitts burg, in the county of Allegheny and State ofPennsylvania, have invented or discovered certain new and usefulImprovements in Rolling-Mill Plants, of which improvements-the followingis a specification.

In the accompanying drawings,which make part of this specification,Figure 1 is a plan view of my improved rolling-mill plant. Fig. 2 is asimilar view of a modified arrangement of the intermediate and finishingrolls. Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the billet-train. Fig. 4 is a likeview of the intermediate rolls. Fig. 5 is a front elevation showing oneof the arrangements of the finishing-rolls.

My invention relates to a rollingmill plant for heating and reducing asteel bloomsay, two feet long and four inches by four (more or less) incross-section'at one heat by a continuous rolling operation tomerchantable lengths of hoop and other merchantable sizes of iron orsteel, as round, square, and flats.

Heretofore in working such blooms into hoops it has been necessary tofirst reduce such bloom,after being properly heated,to the form of barsone and a quarter inch square, more or less, such reduction beingeffected by suitable rolls known as billet train. These bars were thencut up into lengths suitable for forming a length of hoop, and thesesections of bars were then reheated and passed through a hoop-train. Thenecessity for cutting the bars into sections arises from the fact thatit is not practicable to roll hoop-iron of uniform size in lengthsgreater than one hundred and thirty feet, as the form to which the baror billet is reduced-i. e.,thin and broad presents such alarge radiatingsurface that in rolling greater lengths than that above specified therear end of the bar becomes too cool for reduction by the rolls;consequently in rolling greater lengths either the rolls springsufficiently to allow the cool portions to pass through without properreduction, or else the rolls break in the attempt to pass such cooledportions between them.

To overcome the above-mentioned obstacles in the reduction of blooms tohoop or other merchant-able forms of iron or steel ,the bloom,

after being properly heated, is reduced by suitable rolls to bar orbillet form,and the bar or billet is then moved to shears located to oneside of the billettrain and cut into lengths,

such as can be practically reduced to the desired form in suitablefinishing-rolls; but this mode of procedure-i e., rolling to billetform, transferring to the shears, and then carrying the severed sectionsto the finishingrolls-is objectionable on account of the time consumedin such steps and the cooling of the iron during such manipulation, itbeing impracticable to effect these steps with sufficient celerity topermit all the sections into which the billet is divided to be rolled tofinished form without a reheating of one or more sections before passingthem through the finishing-rolls.

In my improved plant and the mechanism employed therein, a bloom havingthe dimensions above stated, or even of greater dimensions, can, afterbeing properly heated, be reduced to hoop or other form having uniformgage and length by one operation. By that I mean that the bloom isreduced successively to billet, bar, and hoop, or other form by acontinuous operation without reheating anypart or section thereof, therapidity and continuity of the operation being such that the initialheat of the bloom is sufficient to permit of its complete reduction tofinished form.

The heating-furnaces A A are of any suitable form and construction, andin convenient proximity thereto is located the billet-train B, driven bythe engine repcsented at 2, power being transmitted from the engine tothe billet-train by suitable shafts. The blooms are reduced to the barform by repeated back and forth passes between the rolls 3, t, and 5 ofsaid train. The series of grooves of the rolls composing thebillet-train are constructed and proportioned for the progressivereduction of the bloom to billet form. The last rolls of the train,through which the billet is passed only once, are formed either with aplain surface or tongue and groove for the production of a fiat bar;also, they may be provided with grooves for the production of square,round, or oval bars or billets. From the last pass, which is between therolls 5, the bar is conducted alonga trough, 6, of any suitableconstruction, to the intermediate or feed rolls or train, 0, whichconsists of the pinions 8 and a pair of rolls, 7, mounted inhousings-9,. the rolls 7 being provided with suitable collar and groove,respectively, for reducing the billet or bar to a form adapted for theoperation of the finishing-train.

Intermediate between the billet'train B and the feed-rolls G is locatedany suitable shearing or cutting mechanism, 9, the operative blades 10of such mechanism being located in the path of the billet or bar on itspassage from the billet to the feed or intermediate rolls or train. Thisshearing mechanism is so constructed as to be capable of rapid orinstantaneous operation during the passage of the billet or' bar, andsothat the blades will normally stand open to permit of the passage of thebar.

' \Vhile I consider it within the scope of my invention to locate theshearing mechanism at any point along the path of the bar between thetwo rolls 5 and 7, I consider it the best practice to pivot the bladesto'the front side of'the standards of the housings 9 of the intermediaterolls or to some suitable frame im mediately in front of said housings.

The shearing mechanism may be constructed to be operated either by handor automatically at certain intermediate intervals,through suitableconnections from one of the shafts of the rolls 7. V v

The bar or billet passes along the trough leading from the billet to-theintermediate rolls or train. It passes between the open blades of theshearing mechanism and into the bite of the rolls 7, and as soon as asufiicient length; to form the desired length of finished product hasbeen drawn by rolls 7 through the blades, the latter are operated. tosever said bar, one section of such severed bar passing on between therolls 7 to a finishing train, presently to be described, and the othersection remaining in the trough 6 with its front end in such close andconvenient proximity to the rolls Z that the attendant can insert suchend into the bite of the rolls with little loss of time. In fact thedelay incident to the severing and feeding of the remaining portion ofthe bar is so short that the operation may be considered asuninterrupted or continuous. 1

The billettrainand intermediate rolls or train maybe located in suchproximity to each -other that the billet-train will act as a feed to theintermediate rolls, in which case the shearing mechanism should beconstructed in such a manner as to effect a severance of the barwithoutan appreciable delayin the movement of the bar or billet.

The train B and rolls or train 0 should. be located in such relation toeach other and at such a distance apart as to permit of the repeatedpasses back'andforth of the bloom between the rolls'of the billet-trainnecessaryfor itsreduction to: bar or billet form. The delivery or lastpairof rolls-5'of the billet-train and the intermediate feed-rolls, 7,should, as

the-billet or bar is passed through between two above stated, bearranged in a common line of feed, and, as I prefer, at such a distanceapart that the rear end of the billet will es- 7o cape from thedelivery-rolls 5 before itis necessary to sever the bar passing throughthe feed-rolls 7.- Thus itwill be seen that the rolls 5 of thebillet-train act as a feed to the rolls 7 while a portion of the bar ispassing through the rolls 7, but that such feed is stopped just beforethe bar is severed by the shears. The trough 6, when rounds or squaresare to be rolled, should be of such a size in cross-sectionas to permitof the bar or billet being given a quarterturn during its passage fromthe billet to the intermediate rolls or train, such turning beingeffected by the workman with tongs; or any suitable turning mechanismmay be located between the two trains.

The rolls 7 of. the intermediate train are constructed, respectively,with a collar and groove, forming between them a passage for thebaror-billet, and the several sections of the bar or billet as theyleave therolls- 7 pass 0 along the trough 11, and are fed intothe rolls12, said rolls being arranged in a direct line of feed from the rolls 7and 5 of the intermediate and billet trains B G. From the rolls 12 ormore pairs of rolls, 13 and 14, for the reduction of the bar or billetto hoop or other form of product. The rolls 12 and 13 are provided,respectively, with. collars and grooves, as in the case of therolls 7but these rolls are so arranged that the position of the collars andgrooves on the rolls 13, next adjacent to the rolls 7, is reversed-4.6., if the collar be on the upper roll of the pair 7 it will be on thelower roll of the pair 12 and the upper roll of the pair 13, and so onfor as many rolls as may be employed.

In the corners at the bottom of the grooves are formed, as is usual,fillets for the reduction or rolling down of fins which may be formed.By the alternating arrangement described the fin, which will be formedalong the edges of the side of the bar in contact with the collar in onepass or set of rolls, will be reduced by the fillets in the groovesinthe next succeeding pass or rolls.

The last pair of rolls, 14, in the finishing rolls or train should bemade plain, as shown, as in the ordinary practice in rolling hoops; butin rolling rounds or squares said rolls are provided with groovesproperly shaped for their production.

The rolls 12, 13, and 14 are arranged alongside of each other, and havejournals coupled together, so as to be driven by the same power, and thebillet or bar is guided, as-it leaves the rolls 12, to-the roll 13, andthence to the'rolls let, by curved troughs, such as are well known inthe art; or they may be. so fed by catchers and feeders.

In order to increase the capacity of the plant I prefer to arrangetwoother pairsof rolls, 15and 16, similar in-all respects to the rolls13 and 14, on theopposite side of the rolls 12, as shown in Fig. 5, saidrolls being coupled to the 'rolls 12 in the same manner as the'rolls 13and 14, and also being provided, if desirable, with curved guides forfeeding the bar or billet from the rolls 15 to the rolls 16. In the useof this double train, as I term it, the sections of the bar or billetare fed, as they leave the rolls 12, alternately to the rolls 13 and 15,at the judgment of the catcher, the curved guide being dispensed with inthe double mill. By this arrangement of the rolls and the alternatefeeding'the bars or billets can be fed quicklyinto the rolls 12, eitherthe one or the other of the rolls 13 and 15 being always in readinessfor operation.

In lieu of the above-described arrangement of rolls 13 and 14z'. 6.,with their axes in line with the axes of the rolls 12said rolls l3 and14 may be arranged with their grooves in line with the grooves of therolls 12 or, in other words, the rolls 12, 13, and 14 may be arrangedina common line of feed and in close proximity to each other and to therolls 7, as shown in Fig. 2. In this arrangement the speed of the rolls12, 13, and 14 should be increased in proportion to the reduction andconsequent elongation of the bar as effected by the rolls 7, 12, and 13.The bar or billet is guided from the rolls 12 to the rolls 13, andthence to the rolls 14 by short troughs.

In rolling some forms of merchantable iron the two pairs of rolls 13 and14 will not be sufficient to effect the proper reduction, in which casean additional pair of rolls may be arranged alongside of the rolls 14 or16, or

-both, and in line therewith; or in case the plant shown in Fig. 2 isused, such additional rolls will be arranged in the line of feed of thebar. These rolls 12, 13, 14, &c., are for convenience termedfinishing-rolls.

From the last pass of the finishing-rolls the bars are passed along asuitable trough to the planishing-rolls 18 or 19, and from thence thefinished product passes along onto the hotbeds 19, where they aretrimmed and bundled for shipment. These planished rolls are constructedwith plain surfaces when hoop-iron is being rolled; but in rolling otherforms of merchantable iron these rolls will be provided with groovescorresponding in shape to the cross-section of the form being rolled.The intermediate rolls, 7, finishing-rolls 12, 13, and 14, andplanishing-rolls 18 are driven by the engine shown at 20, intermediatebetween the finishing and planishing rolls. The shaft of this engine isprovided with pulleys 21 and 22, the pulley 21 being connected by abelt, 23, with the pulley 24 on a shaft connected by suitable couplingswith the middle line of rolls ofthe finishing-trains, the upper andlower line of rolls being driven from the middle line by intermeshingpinions 25. On a shaft driven by the upper line of rolls is mounted apulley, 26, said pulley being connected by a belt, 27,

V with a pulley, 28, mounted on a shaft coupled to the lower of theintermediate rolls, 7 the upper rollbeing driven from thelower rollbysuitable intermeshingpinions, 8. The pulley 22 on the engine-shaft isconnected with the pulley 30, connected to the planishing-rolls. Thesevarious pulleys are so proportioned that one hundred revolutions of theengine will give a speed of two hundred revolutions to the intermediaterolls, three hundred revolutions to the finishing-rolls, and threehundred and thirty revolutions to the planishing-rolls.

I do not wish to be understood as confining myself to the above speeds,as the rolls'may be driven faster or slower, and the proportionatespeeds may be varied in accordance with the elongation efiected in thevarious trains; nor do I wish to confine myself to the form of rollsemployed for rolling hoop-iron, as other forms of rolls suitable for theproduction of Various forms of merchantable iron--e; 9., rounds,squares, or flats-may be employed without departing from the spirit ofmy invention.

Whcnthe finishing-rolls are arranged in a common line of feed, as shownin Fig. 2, the rolls 7, 13, and 14 are driven from the rolls 12, whichare driven by the belt 23 by means of suitable gearing, as shown, suchgearing being proportioned to give increasing speeds to the rolls 13 and14, and the rolls 7 a lower speed than the rolls 12; and in thisarrangement of the plant I may arrange a pair of planishing-rollsalongside of the last pair of finishing-rolls, as shown, said auxiliaryplanishing-rolls being driven by a belt passing over a pulley mounted onan extension of the engineshaft, as shown.

In the production of some forms of merchantable iron it may be desirableto increase the number of rolls or passes beyond that shown, and Itherefore do not wish to limit myself to the number of rolls shown anddescribed.

I claim herein as my inventioml. A rolling-mill plant for rolling hoopand other forms of merchant-able iron directly from blooms, having incombination abillet-train, hoop-finishing rolls, an intermediate pair ofrolls, 7, and a shearing mechanism located in the line of feed of thebar or billet as it passes from the billet to the intermediate rolls,substantially as set forth.

2. A rolling-mill plant for rolling hoop and other forms of merchantableiron directly from blooms, having in combination a billet-train,intermediate or feed rolls, said rolls being arranged in orapproximately in line with the delivery-rolls of the billet-train, and ashearing mechanism located in the line of feed of the bar or billet asit passes from the billet to lithe intermediate rolls, substantially asset orth.

3. A rolling-mill plant for rolling hoop and the finishing-rolls; and-shearing mechanism mounted on the housings of the intermediate rolls,substantially as set forth.

4. A rolling-mill plant for rolling hoop and other forms of merchantableiron directly from blooms, having in Combination a billet't-rain, anintermediate pair of rolls, said rolls being arranged in orapproximately in line with the delivery-rolls of the billet -train,shearing mechanism arranged in the line of feed of the bar or billet asit passes to the intermediate rolls, three or more pairs of finishingrolls, one of said pairs being arranged in or approximately in line withthe inter-mediate rolls, and planishing-rolls, substantially as setforth.

5. A rolling-mill plant for rolling hoop andother forms of merchantableiron directly from blooms, having in combination a billet-train, anintermediate pair of rolls, said rolls being 2o arranged in orapproximately in line with the I delivery rolls of the billet train,shearing mechanism arranged in the line of feed of the bar or billet asit passes to the intermediate rolls, three or more pairs offinishing-rolls, said rolls being arranged with their axes in line witheach other and one of said pairs being in line with the intermediaterolls, and planishing-rolls arranged in line with the deliveryrolls ofthe finishing-train, substantially asset forth.

6. A pair of rolls in combination with a shearing mechanism having itsoperative blades connected to the housings of said rolls, substantiallyas set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

' \VILLIAM GARRETT. Wi tnesses DARWIN S. WOLCOTT, R. H. WHITTLESEY.

